A Head Gimbal Assembly (HGA) of the invention includes a slider; a micro-actuator to adjust the position of the slider; and a suspension to support the slider and the micro-actuator. The micro-actuator includes two side arms; a load plate for supporting the slider, which is connected with at least one of the side arms; a pair of piezoelectric (PZT) elements connected with the side arms; and a support shaft coupled with the suspension, the support shaft being connected with the side arms and positioned between the PZT elements. The invention also discloses a disk drive unit using such a HGA.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A head gimbal assembly comprising: a slider; a micro-actuator to adjust the position of the slider; and a suspension that supports the slider and the micro-actuator; wherein the micro-actuator comprises: two side arms; a load plate for supporting the slider, which is connected with the side arms and rotatable relative thereto in response to selective movement of the side arm or side arms; a pair of PZT elements both connected with the side arms; a support shaft coupled with the suspension, the support shaft being connected with the side arms and positioned between the PZT elements; the PZT elements being excitable by a predetermined voltage to move in opposite directions to effect selective movement of the side arms and rotation of the load plate and slider, and wherein the load plate comprises: a support plate connected with the slider; and two connecting plates connecting the support plate with the two side arms, respectively.
2. The head gimbal assembly of claim 1 , wherein the two connecting plates are respectively connected in symmetrical positions about a center of the support plate's gravity.
3. The head gimbal assembly of claim 1 , wherein the connecting plates are more flexible than the support plate.
4. The head gimbal assembly of claim 1 , wherein the support shaft has at least one narrower portion to increase its flexibility.
5. The head gimbal assembly of claim 4 wherein the support shaft has two narrower portions near the ends thereof.
6. The head gimbal assembly of claim 1 , wherein the support shaft is integrally formed with the side arms.
7. The head gimbal assembly of claim 1 , wherein the two connecting plates are coupled with the load plate in mirror relation to a center of the load plate.
8. The head gimbal assembly of claim 1 , wherein only the support shaft is coupled with the suspension.
9. The head gimbal assembly of claim 1 , wherein one of the PZT elements is an extend model when subjected to the predetermined voltage, and the other PZT element is a shrink or contract model when subjected to the predetermined voltage.
10. The head gimbal assembly of claim 9 , wherein the one PZT element is a d31 material PZT element, and the other PZT element is a d33 material PZT element.
11. The head gimbal assembly of claim 9 , wherein each PZT element is a ceramic PZT, a thin-film PZT or a PMN-Pt crystal.
12. The head gimbal assembly of claim 11 , wherein each PZT element is single-layer or multi-layer.
13. The head gimbal assembly of claim 1 , wherein the PZT elements generate forces on the side arms that counteract each other to minimize forces on the suspension.
14. A micro-actuator comprising: two side arms; a load plate connected with the side arms and being rotatable relative thereto in response to selective movement of the side arm or side arms; a pair of PZT elements both connected with the side arms; and a support shaft connected with the side arms and positioned between the PZT elements; the PZT elements being excitable by a predetermined voltage to move in opposite directions to effect movement of the side arms and rotation of the load plate, wherein the load plate comprises: a support plate connected with a transducing element; and two connecting plates connecting the support plate with the two side arms, respectively.
15. The micro-actuator of claim 14 , wherein a slider is mounted on the load plate.
16. The micro-actuator of claim 14 , wherein the two connecting plates are respectively connected in symmetrical positions about a center of the support plate's gravity.
17. The micro-actuator of claim 14 , wherein the connecting plates are more flexible than the support plate.
18. The micro-actuator of claim 14 , wherein the support shaft has at least one narrower portion to increase its flexibility.
19. The micro-actuator of claim 18 , wherein the support shaft has two narrower portions near the ends thereof.
20. The micro-actuator of claim 14 , wherein one of the PZT elements is an extend model when subjected to the predetermined voltage, and the other PZT element is a shrink or contract model when subjected to the predetermined voltage.
21. The micro-actuator of claim 20 , wherein the one PZT element is a d31 material PZT element, and the other PZT element is a d33 material PZT element.
22. The micro-actuator of claim 20 , wherein each PZT element is a ceramic PZT, a thin-film PZT or a PMN-Pt crystal.
23. The micro-actuator of claim 22 , wherein each PZT element is single-layer or multi-layer.
24. The micro-actuator of claim 23 , wherein each PZT element further comprises a substrate layer connected with the single-layer or multi-layer.
25. The micro-actuator of claim 14 , wherein, when the PZT elements are not subjected to a predetermined voltage, they are disposed in substantially parallel relation with the support shaft, and the ends of the PZT elements and the support shaft are disposed in substantially perpendicular relation to the side arms.
26. The micro-actuator of claim 14 , wherein the support plate comprises two support portions and a connecting portion connecting the two support portions.
27. A disk drive unit comprising: a head gimbal assembly; a drive arm to connect with the head gimbal assembly; a disk; and spindle motor to spin the disk; wherein the head gimbal assembly comprises: a slider; a micro-actuator to adjust the position of the slider; and a suspension to support the slider and the micro-actuator; wherein the micro-actuator comprises: two side arms; a load plate for supporting the slider, the load plate being connected with the side arms and being rotatable relative thereto in response to selective movement of the side arm or side arms; a pair of PZT elements both connected with the side arms; and a support shaft coupled with the suspension, the support shaft being connected with the side arms and positioned between the PZT elements; the PZT elements being excitable by a predetermined voltage to move in opposite directions to effect selective movement of the side arms and rotation of the load plate and slider, and wherein the load plate comprises: a support plate connected with the slider; and two connecting plates connecting the support plate with the two side arms, respectively.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
March 22, 2006
June 23, 2009
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